This application refers generally to a wooden structural support system for storage racks, and more particularly to a method of prefabricated construction using a plurality of unique laminated upright column members carrying lateral arms for supporting several vertically spaced layers of shelving extending longitudinally between the columns.
Steel support structures have been typically used in the past for supporting multi-layered storage racks, since the less expensive wooden support structures have been unreliable. For example heavy loads placed on one portion of a wooden storage rack have tended to sag the wooden support arms and loosen their junction with the upright columns. Thus, over a period of use, and also because of wood shrinkage, the arms tend to move up and down about their central connecting point with the vertical columns resulting in loose, insecure and unstable support for the storage racks and the loads thereon. However, the steel is more expensive and also is heavier itself, thus making it an excessive capital investment in order to construct a suitable warehouse storage facility.
The present invention provides for a laminated wood rack system which is less than half as expensive as a steel system, is easily constructed in modular form prior to erection, and which provides all of the advantages of the steel system, except for the vertical adjustability of shelves, which adjustability has not been found to be necessary in many installations such as furniture warehouses.
The laminated version includes an upright tower having lateral arms sandwiched therein and extending outwardly therefrom. Some form of blocking is provided above and below the lateral arms to hold the arms in position when weight is applied on one or both of the outstretched arms.
More specifically, it is desirable to provide a wooden storage rack having a pair of upstanding columns with lateral arms sandwiched therebetween. An additional specific object is to provide blocking below the lateral arms and extending beyond the side edge of the columns to further stabilize the arms when supporting a load. An additional object is to separately connect the lateral arms directly to the vertical column edges through a gusset in order to further stabilize the construction.
Additional objects and purposes and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the following description of a preferred embodiments of the invention.